Since it has been reported that the depolarization-induced norepinephrine (NE) release is inhibited by activation of presynaptic A1-adenosine heteroreceptor in hippocampus, a large body of experimental data on the post-receptor mechanism of this process has been accumulated. But, the post-receptor mechanism of presynaptic A1-adenosine receptor on the NE release has not been clearly elucidated yet. Therefore, it was attempted to clarify the post-receptor mechanisms of the A1-adenosine receptor-mediated control of NE release in this study. Slices from rat hippocampus were equilibrated with 3H-norepinephrine and the release of the labelled products was evoked by electrical stimulation (3 Hz, 5 Vcm-1 2 ms, rectangular pulses), and the influence of various agents on the evoked tritium-outflow was investigated. Adenosine, in concentrations ranging from 1 ~ 30μM, decreased the NE release in a dose-dependent manner, without affecting the basal rate of release. The adenosine effects were significantly inhibited by 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX, 2μM), a selective A1-receptor antagonist. The responses to N-ethylmaleimide (NEM, 10 & 30μM), a SH-alkylating agent of G-protein, were characterized by increments of the evoked NE-release and the basal release, and the adenosine effects were completely abolished by NEM pretreatment. 4β-Phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDB, 1μM), a specific protein kinase C (PKC) activator, increased the evoked NE release, whereas polymyxin B sulfate (PMB,0.1 mg), a PKC inhibitor, decreased the release, and the adenosine effects were inhibited by these agents. Nifedipine (1μM), a Ca2+-channel blocker of dihydropyridine analogue, did not affect the adenosine effect. Tetraethylammonium (TEA, 3 mM) increased the evoked NE release, and inhibited the adenosine effects, but glibenclamide, a ATP dependent K+-channel blocker, did not. Finally, 8-bromo cyclic AMP (100 & 300μM), a membrane-permeable analogue of cAMP, did not alter the NE release, but adenosine effects were inhibited by pretreatment with 8br-cAMP. These results suggest that the decrement of the evoked NE-release by A1-adenosine receptor is mediated by the C-protein, which is coupled to protein kinase C, adenylate cyclase system and TEA sensitive K+-channel, and that nifedipine-sensitive Ca2+-channel and glibenclamide-sensitive K+-channel are not involved in this process.